Obituary: Ronald Hipkins

Friday

Nov 2, 2012 at 10:59 AMNov 2, 2012 at 11:01 AM

Ronald Edwin Hipkins, 66, of Geneseo, died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in his home. He lost his life from bile duct cancer. Funeral services celebrating Ronald's life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3 at Vandemore Funeral Home, Geneseo. Burial will be in the Dayton Corners Cemetery, Colona. A luncheon will be held after the funeral at Church of the Nazarene in Colona. A visitation will be held one hour prior to services, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed to the Ronald E. Hipkins Memorial Fund.

Ronald Edwin Hipkins, 66, of Geneseo, died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in his home. He lost his life from bile duct cancer. Funeral services celebrating Ronald's life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3 at Vandemore Funeral Home, Geneseo. Burial will be in the Dayton Corners Cemetery, Colona. A luncheon will be held after the funeral at Church of the Nazarene in Colona. A visitation will be held one hour prior to services, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed to the Ronald E. Hipkins Memorial Fund.

Ron was born on Jan. 29, 1946, in Levee Township, the son of Burl Q. and Eva (Reddick) Hipkins Sr. He was a 1964 graduate of United Township High School, East Moline. He married Cora May Allison on March 13, 1965, at Church of the Nazarene, Colona. He retired as a tool crib attendant at John Deere Harvester, East Moline. He was an avid fisherman, was devoted to his family and loved his cars.

Survivors include his wife, Cora M. Hipkins of Geneseo; two daughters, Cora F. Hipkins-Masengarb of Geneseo and Cindy Hipkins-Passig (Mark Babin) of Prairieville, La.; four grandchildren, Heather Hipkins-Westfall (Ronnie) of Colona, Lee Ann Hipkins (Steven Waldron) of Carbon Cliff, Nicole Atwell of Colona and Brandon Passig of Prairieville; four great grandchildren, Ashlyn Waldron, Steven Waldron Jr., AvaLynn Westfall and "Baby" Westfall; three siblings, Raymond (Dorothy) Hipkins of Benton, Ky., Maryland Beaver of Monroe City, Mo. and Earl (Sandy) Hipkins of Geneseo; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Burl and Eva Hipkins and siblings, Burl Hipkins Jr., Shirley Gunter, John Hipkins and Lena Hipkins.

Special thanks to Preferred Hospice, Lighthouse Home Care, special friends, Shawn and Joy Rickey and many family and friends.